The Labor Of Love
by Maygie07
Summary: Claire and Charlie take a picnic. To their surprise, fate steps in. Claire is sick and Charlie is really upset. What will happen if Claire dies?
1. Picnic

This is my first fan fic. I hope you like it. (Please Review.)

I did not make up this show or its characters. Lost is owned by J.J. Abrams and his crew at ABC.

**The Labor of Love**

"Would you like some more peanut butter?" Charlie asked handing the jar full of imaginary peanut butter to Claire.

"Yes, I would." She said grabbing the jar, sticking in her finger and licking it clean. "You know, this is actually quite good."

"Of course it is!" Charlie announced with his cute little smirk.

Charlie and Claire had taken a walk and ended up at a beautiful remote spot where they were dining on Charlie's special peanut butter. Claire had regained her memory of Charlie and now the two were inseparable. After reading Claire's diary, Charlie had decided to pursue Claire and her unborn child. Claire was amazed at everything about Charlie, he was perfect. She decided that Charlie had to be the one for her.

"It's about time to head back." Charlie said a little disappointed. He had hoped to gain a kiss or two on their little escapade. "It will be getting dark soon."

"Alright." Claire said starting to get up. Charlie rushed up and helped her to her feet. "Thank you."

"No problem."

"Thank you for everything, Charlie. Nobody else would have helped me as much as you have. I remember when Ethan took us." She paused to see if she should go on. "You saved me."

_Flashback_

"What do you think you are doing?" Ethan asked pushing Charlie away from Claire.

"I've got to help her." Charlie said bravely. "If I don't get her calmed down…"

"I've had enough of you!" Ethan screamed as he lunged at Charlie with a knife.

Claire screamed as she watched the two brawl on the ground. First it appeared that Ethan was winning. Charlie was getting the heck beat out of him. Ethan was too strong. There was nothing that Charlie could do, unless… He had to get that knife!

It took Charlie what seemed hours to even touch the knife. He was faint with exhaustion and could feel blood running down his face; however, he felt no pain. Claire was all that was on his mind. He had to save Claire.

Time after time he would grab at the knife, but it all seemed useless. Finally, he succeed in grabbing the handle of the knife and yanked it away from Ethan's death grip. Then he plunged it into what was hopefully Ethan. There was a blow to his head then everything went dark.

Pain. It was all he felt until her remembered Claire. He practically forced his eyes open. Claire was looking at him in deep concern.

"Claire…" Charlie whispered hoarsely.

"Shhh." Claire said.

"Claire, I… I love you."

"I love you too."

"You've got to get out of here! Run…Run as fast as you can."

"I don't think I will make it too far." She said looking down at her oversized belly.

"You…You have to try."

With that Ethan rushed back into the camp.

"So Mr. Hot Stuff's awake now." He said looking down at Charlie. "You got me pretty good boy, but I will live. Too bad you won't."

He grabbed Charlie by his arm and yanked him to his feet. Charlie could not object; he was too weak. Ethan sat him down and slipped something over his head. It was a noose.

The last thing Charlie remembered hearing was Claire screaming.

_End Flashback_

Charlie looked down as his face turned red. "Anyone else would have done the same thing."

"But it wasn't anyone else, Charlie. It was you and I am very glad it was. Do you remember what you said?"

"When he tried to… um?" Charlie said rubbing his throat.

"Yes."

"I told you that I loved you." Charlie said wondering where this would lead.

"Did you mean it?"

Charlie looked deep into her eyes. "Yah, I did."

Tears brimmed Claire's eyes. "When he put that rope around your neck…" She broke out into sobs. "I was so scared. I thought I would never see you again."

Charlie welcomed Claire as she leaned in to cry on his shoulder.

"Claire." He said in his sexy accent lifting up her head by the chin. "It's all okay now. Everything is alright."

Then as they stared into each other's eyes it happened. If you guessed "it" would refer to kissing, you would be wrong. Claire's water broke.

To be continued…

This is all I have so far. I will finish it asap.


	2. Labor

"What the bloody hell is that!" Charlie exploded looking at the puddle beneath Claire's feet.

"Oh my God! I think my water just broke." She said looking worried.

"We've got to get you back to camp." Charlie said turning white as a piece of cotton.

"I can't. I can't!" Claire exclaimed.

"Yes you can come on I'll help you." said Charlie with more courage than he actually had. Charlie grabbed Claire by the arm and started pulling her in the direction of camp. "Come on."

He drug her for a total of about thirty feet before the contractions started. The first one scared Charlie so bad he jumped. Claire felt like her belly was about to explode. When the contraction eased up, Claire realized that she was screaming. She shut her mouth and looked at Charlie who was pacing back and forth in front of her. He was so white and looked as if he would pass out. Claire had to laugh.

"What is so funny? This isn't a time to laugh. We've got to keep going. You need to get to Jack. No, what I'll go get him and bring him here. Yeah that's what I'll do. I'll just go—."

Claire grabbed Charlie's arm and he jumped even higher. "Look you going to have to calm down. Please don't leave me. Let's keep going."

"Okay, okay." Charlie got Claire back to her feet and she took about two steps and another contraction hit her. She sat back down on the stump she had just got off of.

Charlie noticed that she was breathing really heavy. He did not know what else to do so he began to call for help. Okay, not really call, scream. He screamed with all he had.

Claire looked up at Charlie. There was something about him. He was so different. He was perfect. Or at least he was to her. She decided at that moment right then and there that she was in love with him.

She had promised herself that she would never love anyone else. What happened? She could not help it. She sat there in awe then another contraction hit.

"They're coming more often now aren't they?" Charlie asked more to himself.

He heard some one call through the forest. He screamed again, this time with hope that he would not have to deliver Claire's baby.

It was Jack.

Neither Charlie nor Claire had ever been so excited to see him.

"How far apart are they?"

"Um… about two minutes." Charlie answered.

"Okay," Jack said getting on his knees in front of Claire. "Now, Claire listen to me don't push yet. I know it hurts, but if you start pushing now the baby will get wrapped in the cord."

Jack got up and called Charlie over to the side. "Charlie, you have to get her calmed down. The umbilical cord is caught. She can't start pushing until I move the cord or the baby and her could die."

"Oh my God!" Charlie sighed cupping his hand over his mouth and running it down to his chin.

Charlie walked back over to Claire and grabbed her hand. It was so hot. He wiped the hair from her face and whispered to her. "Claire, shhh, it's all going to be okay. Just breathe."

"I've got to push." She gasped then screamed.

"No, you can't right now." Charlie commanded.

Charlie got up and went to the back end of Claire where Jack was. "Jack, is she suppose to be this hot? I think she has a temperature. Is that normal?"

"She does and no it's no normal. I think we might have some problems."

Charlie went back to the upper part of Claire. She was so pale. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Everything's going to be okay."

"Alright." Jack said loudly. "You can push now."

Claire did not need to be told twice. She wanted that thing out of there, wouldn't you?

She pushed until she felt her eyes were going to pop out. Finally, Jack yelled. "I see the head!"

Charlie was ecstatic!

"You're doing good Claire. Keep it up. That's it. Okay, one more time." Jack told her.

The sound of crying filled the air. "It's a boy!" Jack called out.

They looked at Claire. She was out cold.

He felt of her wrist. "Her pulse is low!"Jack screamed."We have got to get her back to camp NOW!"

TBC.


	3. Finale

"What's wrong with her?" Charlie asked.

"Just grab her arms, okay!" Jack commanded.

Charlie did as he was told and they lifted Claire off of the rock and began to carry her back to the waterfalls. Charlie was holding the baby and both of Claire's arms.

"This is not going to be easy, hold on I'll be right back." Jack said running off toward camp.

Charlie just stood there blankly. He stared down at Claire, what was wrong with her? He kneeled down to her side and brushed her face. She was burning up with fever. What could he do? Here he was with two helpless people.

For the first time, Charlie looked at the baby he held in his arms. He was beautiful. Charlie counted carefully. Yep, ten fingers and ten toes. This had to be the most perfect baby he had ever seen.

He switched his attention back to Claire. Where was Jack? Why was he taking so long? He had to hurry!

With that thought he heard people running through the woods. "Over here!" he yelled.

"We're coming." Jack called.

Jack had assembled almost the whole entire camp. Immediately, Charlie was pushed aside and everyone helped gather Claire and lift her up. Kate came up to Charlie and pulled him away from the people now moving Claire back toward camp.

"Charlie." she said quietly trying to get his attention.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked with his gaze still on the Claire.

"Come on, let's go back to camp." Kate basically pleaded with tears gathering in her eyes. She had never seen Charlie so upset. Even when Claire was kidnapped, he did not appear this worried. Kate had noticed the bundle in Charlie's arms and looked at him. He was fine. Thank goodness!

Kate gripped Charlie's arm and pulled him behind her. He followed in bewilderment. They had just been on a wonderful picnic. What had happened? Not three hours ago, Claire had been fine.

When they stumbled into camp, everyone was running around. Charlie had to get to Claire. He turned to Kate and handed her the baby. Before then, nobody could have striped that baby from his arms.

Charlie ran searching everywhere. Finally she found them. Jack had Claire spread out on a cot and everyone was quiet. Jack fumbled around. He spotted Charlie.

"Come here."

Charlie walked up to the cot and looked at Claire. It was the worst sight he had ever seen. The valor in her face made him cringe with fear.

Jack looked Charlie up and down. "I think she is suffering with Eclampsia. It's a disease that affects pregnant women and their unborn children. But I looked the bay over, he seems to be fine. I sent some one down to the beach to get some salt for Claire. It's not the kind of salt we need, but maybe it will work."

"What will happen if it don't work?" Charlie asked.

"Let's just hope that it does." Jack answered. "Now I want you to stay with her while I look at the baby some more. You don't have to do anything just be there. Will you do that?"

"Of course I will!"

Jack turned to walk off then turn back around, "Charlie?"

"Yes."

"Pray. I know about what happened that one night with that lady. If you really are saved, pray. Your prayers might be the only thing that saves Claire." Jack said then turned and walked away.

"I didn't think you were a spiritual man." Kate said as Jack walked to where she was with the baby.

"I'm not." Jack said taking the baby from her arms. "I figure that it's worth a shot. I'm not to sure the salt will help her. She is pretty bad off. I should have noticed it before. She showed all the symptoms now that I think about it."

Kate touched his arm, "There was no way you could have known."

"A good doctor would have known."

"Jack, you're a wonderful doctor. Everyone slips up; this was not your fault."

"Poor Charlie, he loves her. What is he going to do when—"

"If—"

"If she dies?" Jack finished.

"She won't, you'll help her." Kate reassured.

There was yelling.

"They are back with the salt."

Jack handed her the baby. "I hope this works." He said walking away.

Jen handed Jack the bucket full of ocean water. He grabbed a needle and started putting the water in her.

"What is this suppose to do?" Hurley asked not looking at Claire.

"Well, her system lacks the platelets that it needs to stop the bleeding and the salt will hopefully provide a substitute for the lacking supplement in her blood."

Charlie watched as Jack put some of the salt water in a hand made IV. Jack put the all that he could in her. "Alright, all we can do now is wait."

"There is still half a bucket there!" Charlie said.

"I can't put anymore or it will clot her blood. We can't afford that to happen."

So for hours on end they waited. One by one they left to go to bed. Charlie and Jack ended up being the last ones left.

"Charlie." Jack said trying to get his attention from Claire for the time being.

"Yeah." Charlie said as if he was in a daze.

Jack looked him in the face. "Why don't you go get some sleep, I will stay here with her. You look exhausted."

"No, I can't leave her." Charlie protested.

"You need your rest, you look worse than she does. She is really making progress. Look at the color coming back in her face. She could wake up any minute now."

"And I have got to be here when she does." Charlie said.

"Ok fine."

_**Claire's Dream:**_

"_Now I have your lover, your baby and you!" Ethan cried. _

"_Why are you doing this?" Claire demanded. "What do you want with us?"_

"_You are the missing piece of the puzzle, my dear. The boyfriend and baby were just little extras."_

"_Then let them go. Wait until I have my baby and let them go. You don't need them!"_

"_Oh, but I do. As long as I have them you will do what ever I want you to."_

"_What do you want me to do!" Claire screamed._

"_You are the key for my kind to become free." Ethan explained. "You will a sacrifice for the island and your little 'family' will help it along."_

"_Please…Please don't hurt them!" She screamed sobbing._

_Ethan made one of those evil laughs that would send prickles down your spine. He walked up to Claire with a knife in his hand. _

"_Your baby first!" He said creeping toward her. Claire began to fight and scream. Only over her dead body was he going to hurt this baby!_

"Claire! Claire! Please wake up." It was Charlie's voice. "Jack come here."

She felt a hand on her forehead. "The fever has broken." Jack said with a sigh of relief.

Claire was so exhausted; she tried to open her mouth. "Ch…Charlie." she tried.

Charlie saw her effort and put his ear to her mouth.

"I'm right here." he said patting her hand.

A sudden worry shot through Claire's thoughts. "My…baby?"

"Is a very healthy baby boy." Charlie finished. He saw a smile appear across her face. Her eyes flickered open and meet his.

"Can I see him?" She asked.

Jack ran off to get him.

Charlie brushed the hair from her face. "You scared me so bad! I thought I had lost you." He bent down and gently kissed her lips. "I don't want you to leave me again." He demanded.

Claire nodded.

Jack came in with the sleeping baby and showed him to Claire. She did not have enough strength to hold him but she saw that he was okay.

Jack took him back to Kate.

Claire looked up at Charlie. "You look awful. Have you been here the whole time?"

"Yes." he said and kissed her forehead, "now get some sleep."


End file.
